Ewe performance under intermittent suckling management and three crude protein levels in the total mixed ration provided to lambs

Geovana Sartori; Antonio  Carlos Polonio; Giovana  Camila Silva; Mikaela  de Barros Hiromori; Leandro  Tamashiro Oda; Fernando  Luiz Massaro Junior; Fernando Augusto Grandis; Sergio  Rodrigo Fernandes

Geovana Sartori Universidade Estadual de Londrina https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0607-4150
Antonio Carlos Polonio
Giovana Camila Silva
Mikaela de Barros Hiromori
Leandro Tamashiro Oda
Fernando Luiz Massaro Junior https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8510-4743
Fernando Augusto Grandis https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1039-7465
Sergio Rodrigo Fernandes https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2556-1616

Keywords: body condition score, lamb weight, milk, preweaning phase, weaning ratio

Abstract

Intermittent suckling is characterized as the separation of ewes from their lambs for 8 hours/day. This management is adopted to reduce the loss of weight and body condition score (BCS) of ewes during lactation and adapt lambs to weaning. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of ewes under intermittent suckling management in response to increasing crude protein (CP) levels in the total mixed ration (TMR) provided to their lambs. A total of 54 Santa Ines ewes, with 51.3 ± 8.1 kg of body weight (BW), and 67 lambs were used in a completely randomized design with three treatments and 18 replications. The treatments were the levels of 18, 21, and 24% CP in TMR of lambs, which were composed of 32.4% corn silage and 67.6% protein-energy concentrate, and contained 72.2% of total digestible nutrients, on a DM basis. Ewes were separated from lambs between 8:00-16:00 and kept on BRS Tamani and Massai grass (Megathyrsus maximus) pasture, and fed with 2.30 kg DM/ewe/day of a TMR composed of 76.6% corn silage and 23.4% energy concentrate. Lambs were fed ad libitum in feedlot, with TMR provided at 8:00 and 13:00. The experiment lasted 60 days and was finished with lambs weaning. Data on BW and BCS at weaning, average daily weight loss (ADWL), total weight of weaned lambs per ewe (TWWL), and weaning ratio (WR) were collected and subjected to ANOVA followed by Tukey-Kramer test (P<0.05). The CP level of TMR did not affect BW, BCS, ADWL, and WR, with means values of 50.2 kg, 2.45 points, -29.3 g/ewe/day, and 64.5%. The TWWL was higher (P = 0.021) for TMR with 24% CP (33.08 kg/ewe) and lower for TMR with 21% CP (28.99 kg/ewe). Thus, a diet with 24% CP improves lamb performance without compromising ewe performance under intermittent suckling management.

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References

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